I just took out my new i9s and love the quality and ease of use for everything but the paddle holder on the side. I had difficulty securing the paddle in both holders at the same time and have the holder tightly hold the paddle on both ends securely. It just seems to be too loose for the non-round paddle. I even tried to reduce the inflation amount for that side of the boat, thinking the center pushed out too much...no effect. I do use a paddle leash so I am not worried about a loss but is there something else I can do to secure the paddle to the boat and yet have it available quickly?

Aside from that, my boat was drier than my Sport model and seemed to be at least as fast when pedalling. I noticed the directionality was a bit worse than my Sport as I found myself adjusting the rudder direction more often. Wind was not a factor. All in all, a very pleasant experience. I am hoping to modify my old sail from the Sport to use next trip...I am open to suggestions for attaching the lines to the mast.

Drill a hole about halfway down the flat part of the outboard side of the paddle holders big enough for some light shockcord. Cut open the loop on the inboard side of the paddle holder. Leave a good nub to hook the shockcord onto. (cut out the part closest to the base). Add your cord and you are done. I left 4" tails so I could release the paddle easily.

Now my paddle isn't coming off unless i want it to. Wave crashing, portaging, or whatever it is not coming free. If I need/want the paddle it is a real quick operation to get it free. I'll still use a leash so I don't lose it while paddling.